Chinese Pastor and Family Await Verdicts

13 July 2005

^{Pastor Cai Zhuohua (Center)}

Last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert on the upcoming trial of Pastor Cai Zhuohua and three of his family members on July 7. According to VOM sources in China, the trial lasted four and a half hours and ended without announcing a verdict. During the trial, the judge refused to hear arguments that the religious rights of the accused were being violated. "This has nothing to do with religion. This is an economic crime," said Judge You Tao. Only one witness for the defense was allowed to speak; an elderly woman who said that she had been given the religious literature free of charge. The defense lawyers argued that if the literature was given free of charge, the printing was not for profit and therefore it was not an "illegal business practice."

Only three family members of the accused were allowed into the courtroom. The U.S. Embassy sent an observer to the trial, but he was prevented from entering the courtroom. The verdict is to be announced later, but no date has been set. One of the lawyers for Cai said, "It is impossible for them to be found innocent, but I have confidence to strive for lighter sentences."

Pray that Cai and the other will be found innocent. Pray for peace as they experience uncertainty and concern for the future.

For more information on persecution facing Christians in China, click here.

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.